Signaling system



April 14, 1925.

DE EI .BERT A. REYNOLDS SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 5, 1921 2 Sheets.-Shoet 1 Patented Apr. 14 1925.

UNITED STATES PATEN'' OFFICE:

DE EI.BERT A..ZREYNOLDS, or ionxmzs, NEW YORK, ASSIGOR, BY 1:'1;s r m assronor AMERICA, or NEW YORK, N. Y., -A com=orm- HENTS, TO AUDIHONE COMPANX '1ION OF DELA.WARE.

. SIGNALING SYSTEM.

pploation filed February 3, 1921. Serial No. 442,051.

5 County, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling' Systems, of which the following 1s a spec1fication.

This invention relates to improvemerits in s1gnaling systems and is rected to police call signaling systems.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved police call box for use in a signaling system whereby communication with headquarters from such call box is attained iristantaneously.

A further object of the invention is to.

provide an improved .-police call box to enable the police ofiicer or roundsman to establish communication with headqnarters without the use' of a key and without requiring the use of either hand for signaling or for transmitting to and receiving com municaton from he'adquarters.

A further object of the invention is to provide a police c'all box which is closed on all sides excepting at the front at which a door is provided and closure means for the door, which is concealed from general observattion but which is readily accessible to the police oflicer or other reliable party who canbe entrusted with the information, wherebythe closure means can be operated without "the use 'of a key and by mere, contact-of the elbow,

In accordarce with my invention, the system provides for call boxes distributed at the desired locations, prferably connected by independent wiring bircuits with the switch board at headquarters, each such call box being preferably provided with an Outer particularly d i.

knee or the foot of the i oficer for releasing the door.

A further object of the invention is to.

door suitably.mounted on concealed hinges and closed by suitable closure means extending exteriorly of the call box but substantially concealed from the general public and operated in a positive and reliable manner by mere Contact; each call box being equipped with a, loud speaking receiver and further with a sensitive transmitter operated without anyspecial effort on the part of the pol ce oflicer or roundsman and thereby aflording him free use of both hands to in- 7 sure the arrest of a despergite criminal or a prisoner struggling to escape, or under other conditions.

Upon the release of theclosure means, the outer door swings open, and automatically operates at the headquarters switchboard an electric signal, instantly indicating the .callbox operated, enabling the headquarters operator to connect 1n the localreceiver and transmitter of the operated call box and intantly establish full connection of the local receiver and transmitter without any act on .the part of the oflicer 'or roundsman. Such local receiver and local transmitter is referably of the loud talking type to ena le the communication to be had within any regulatable distance from the call box. Preferahly, the receiver and transmitter are protected within the box by means of a partition and perforations are r provided in the artition to facilitate the passage of soun to the transmitter and from the receiver. The wiring of the appa ratus of the box is also fully protected.

Preferably the outer door of each call box is provided with perforati0ns to transmit therethrough sounds emitted by the receiver and thereby enable the headquarters o erator independently of the operation of t e door of any desifed call box to send out information to be heard at a distance from the call box. Signalingmeans is also provided for each call box to be set in position by the headquarters o erator to indicate to any member of the po ice force to-proceed to the call box for instructions. Further. features and objects of:my invention will be more,fully understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in-which- Fig. 1 is a diagram of the wire circuit of a preferred form of central orheadquarters switchboard, the transmitter and receiver therefor, and wiring and switching connections with the respective sets of local transmitters and receivers of the distributed e"all boxes; in this figure is also shown.in perspective view three call boxes, one with its outer door closed; another with its outer door opened, and a third with the outer dor ing into circuit a lamp,

closed.

Fig.' 2 is a central vertical sect1onal view of a call box and its. main interior parts,

and also showing an electrical relay under ment is that of a preferred system of Wiring connections between the central or headquarters switchboard indicated at .1 and a selected number of call boxes or other local stations distributed in location and in number, as may be desired, the particular wn1ng diag'ram showing the connections for four such call boxes, such preferred wiring sys.

'ltem corres onds to that described and claimed in t e application of Egbert 'A. Reynolds, entitled Interconnnunicating tele phone systems, filed July 16, 1920 and bear- 1n% Serial No. 396,795.

call box or ocal station box is of the therefrozn within any hree of such call boxes or local stations are indicated in perspective view and designated res ectively2, 3, 4 and a fourth indicated at 5- is illustrated to show diagiammatically its receiver 6 and transmitter 7 a'nd the respective electrical circuits. The respective sets of transmitter and receiver of each of the local stations 2, 3, 4and such additional number as may be desired, corresp0nd to the set of transmitter 7 and receiver 6 of the station 5 and aresimilarly connected-and o rated, asis more fully set forth heron- 8 er.

Preferaby the receiver 6 of each local loud speaking t pe such as thatdisclosed in the patent of gbert A. Rey nolds and myself, entitledSound reproduc ing instrument,issued July 31, 1923, No. 1,463,372, wherehy communication is emitted dcsired, regulatable distance from the receiver of from say 30 to 50 feet or more, if desired,

Whereas the particular arrangement shown in the wirin diagram of Fig. 1 is fully set: for-th in t e said 1z ,rpplicat ion of Eghert A. Reynolds, Serial o. 396,795, it

is understood that my apparatus is applicab e for use with other forms of circuits and wiring whereby the call box, and other local stations are automatically connected-in With the central station and whereby the central operator is enabled independently of the operation of any local station'or call box to communicate at will with, any.local'sta tions or call boxes as desired.-

or the purpose of explaining the operation of my invention as connected in a circuit arrangement set forth in said application Serial Number 396,795, entitled Intercommunicating telephone systems, I have shown in Fig. 1 at central or headquarters,

indicated at 1, the central transmitter 10 and the central receiver 11. The transmitter 10 is connected on one side by the lead 12 to one terminal 13 of the pr1mary coil 14 of the transf0rmer 15 and on the other side to the lead 16 connected at 17 to the conductor 18 connected to contact 19 of the switch 20. The contact 19 cooperates with the contact 21, whereupon the central operator removing his receiver 11from its usual pivoted hook' 22, the stem 23 is depressed by its spring (not shown) to cause contact 19 to engage the contact 21 and connect in the central transmitter and receiver on the line, as set forth more fully in the said ap lication Serial No. 396,795, and also referred ei*ally hereinafter.

The contact 21 is connected by the con-' ductor 24 to the positive terminal 25' of the battery 26 and the negative terminal 27 of the battery 26 is connected by the conductor to gen- 28 to the remaining terminal 29 of the pr1- mar coil 14.

T e central receiver 11' is connected on one side b the lead 30 to the terminal 31 of the secon ary coil 32 of the transformer 33, the opp0site terminal 34 of. the secondary coil32 being connected by the conductor 35 to the opposite terminal of the c'entral re-- ceiver 11. V

. One terminal 36 of the secondary coil 37 of the transf0rmer 15 is connected by the conductor 38 to the strap 39 of the switch box 40 located at central and embodying switches for respectivel connecting in any desired call box. Int e switch box 40, I have indicated four switch -buttons desig* nated 41, 42, 43, 44, for respectively con' in with central the set of receiver neting and transmitter at the call boxes 5, 2, 3 and 4, respectively.

As IS more fully set forth in the said ap plication, Serial No. 396,795, each switch utton upon depression closes two sets of contacts 45., 46, the contacts of one setcon nccting in the circuit, the localreceiver and the contacts of the other set connecting in the transmitter of the local call box. Such. sets of contacts for the respective local sets or call boxes are arranged and operated in the same manner and acordingly the same reference numbers are used to designate the similar parts. The contact 45 comprises the contact 47 connected to the strap 39 and also the con:

tact 47*. connected by the line conductor 48 to a terminal of the loud speaking receiver 6 of the local station or call box 5, the opposite terminal of the receiver 6 being connected by the line conductor 49 to one ter minal of the buzzer 50, or electric call bell or other like signaling device located at central orheadquarters, the opposite terminal of which is connected by the conductor 51 to the positive terminal 25 of the battery 26.

Jach contact 46 comprises'a contact 52 connected to the strap 53 and'connected by the conductor 54t0 the terminal 55 of the primary coil. 56 of the induction coil 33, its opposite terminal 57 being connected by the conductor 58 to the conductor l6-connecting with one terminal of the central transinitter 10 The other contact member 59 of each cou-- tact 46 is connected to the line conductor 60 to one terminal of the transmitter 7 at the local station or call box, its opposite ter h minal being connected by the line conductor 61 to one side of the actuating miwnet 62in the annunciator box 63 correspondmg to the designation of the local station or call box. The annunciator 63 is located at central or headquarters as on the switchboard, on a desk or the like.

The opposite side of the magnet 62 is conne0ted by the lead 64 to the terminal 29 of the primary coil 14 of the induction coil 15.

By means of such circuit as thus described,

upon the central operator removing his re ceiver 11 from its book 22 and by pressing the proper switch button of the Switch box 40 corresponding to the call box desired to be thrown into circuit, the set of receiver and transmitter at the call box is instantly ready for communication in both directions between the call box and central.

The switch 65 indicated at the'station 5 represents a switch operated upon opening of the door of the call.box as -is set orth more fully hereinafter, or may represent a push button or like manually operable circuit closing means for"connecting in and actuating a buzzer 50 or the like at central or headquarters. One contact member 66 of the contact 65 is connected by the lead 67 to the line conductor 49 connected on one side of the signaling device 50, whereas the other contact member 68 of the contact 65 is connected by the lead 69 to the line con-- ductor 61. A

Upon the 'central operator completing communication with any call box,the circuit is broken automatically, upon placing the central receiver 11 on its hook 22, thereby leaving the stem 23 to open contact between brought into momentary engagement to conn ect in and energize the reset magnet 74 for throwing out of operativo position the depressed switch button corresponding to the call box with which communication has been had. The circuit of connection of the reset magnet and the detailed construction and operation of the same is fully set forth in said application Serial No. 396,7 95; as shown the contact member 72 of the switch 73 is connected by the conductor 75 to one terminal of the reset magnet '74, this opposite terminal being connected by the conductor 76 to the conductor 28 connected to the negative terminal 27 of the battery 26, Whereas the contact member 71 of the switch 73 is connected by the conductor 24 to the positive terminal 25 of the battery 26.

Upon the closure of the contacts of the switch 73, the restoring magnet 80 of the annnnciator box 63 is operated toreset to neutral the indicator corresponding to the caicl1 box with which communication has been Referring to Fig. 2, each call box embodies a casing provided with the door 101 which is preferably hinged on canceled hinges as is indicated at the call box 3 in Fig. 1. Vithin the interior of the casing 100, I provide the partition 102 for permanently en'closing the transmitter 103 and receiver 104. The partition may be mount ed to be removed. The horn 105 of the receiver 104 extends toward the partition 102, and perforations 106 or other openin are provided in the partition 102 to afl'or A free emission of the sounds reproduced by the receiver 104. At 3 in F ig. 1 I have indicated the outer door 101 in open position and it will be readily perceived that the sounds from the receiver 104 are readily transmitted through the openings 106. v

The partition 102 is also provided with the perforations or other recesses 107 --in suitable proximity to the transmitter 103 v whereby upon the door101 of the call box being opened, the voice of the patrolman .or other party is transmittedthrough the'perforations 107 into the transmitter 103 and thus through the line to the headquarteis operator.

I have also provided perforations 108 'of the outer door 101 of the call box to enable communication to be sent from central or headqarters and re roduced by the rejceiver 104 and emit through the perforations 106 and thence through the perfora tions 108 exteriorly of the box, thereby af: fording .instantaneoue communication between the headquarters opera f.,and any patrolman or other, party within auditionrange of the call ,box. -Such coinmunication,

. r v r -it'will be noted, is made independently of the Opening of the outer door of the call box and mdependently of any act on the part of the patrolman or other operator at the call box.

In Fig; 3 I have illustrated in'enlarged view a casing 100 in this instance with its door 108 hinged to the right-hand wall 110 of the casing-100. Such hmge is preferably of the inwardly or concealed type of any approved arrangement. Within the casing 100, as for example, see Fig. 3, on the inner face-of its lateral wall 110, I have arranged the contact -device 111, and as shown, comprises the opp0sitely disposed spring contact members 112, 113, carried by the braclet 114.-, v

secured by a screw 115, or otherwise to the wall 110, said contact members 112, 113, co-

.126 of the plate 127 carried on the inner acting with the movable wntact 116 carried on the link 117, pivoted at 118 to the plate 119, secured to the inner-face of the door 101.

The circuit connection of the contact device 111 corresponds to that of the contact device 65, of Fig. 1.

The full outline of the door and the contacts shown in Fig. 3, is the position of the same whenthe door in its closed position, and upon opening the door 101, the .contact 116 is brought into teinporary electrical con-- nection, whereby any suitable signal 50, see Fig. 1, at the central or headquarters switchboard is actuated to indicate the operation of the door of the particular call box or local. station. This circuit connection is broken when thedoor is fully opened. The signal 50: is similarly operated when the door is bein closed.

It wfil arrangement shown in Fig. 1 secures the actuation of the annunciator during the stage of opening the door to set the indieator of the 'annunciator corresponding.to the call box operated;

Preferably, the door of the call box is opened automatically upon the operation of suitable means substantially concealed from the general public but readil accessibile from the exterior by. a police o cer, roundsnan or other party to whom the information can be given with reliance and operable by mero physical efiort by anyavailable prtion of his body, as by his elbow, knee, foot or the like.

For such purposes, I providethe spring 121, see call box 3, Fig. 1, whichis compressed upon closing the door 101 and u on release of the closure means of the cor automatically opens the door 101.

As one example of closure means r'or the .doorI illustrate in Fig. 2, the spring locking arm 123 suitably secured at one end to an inner face of the bottom wall 124 of the casing 100-andhaving at its: free end a lock-V ing Ing-125 c0acting with, the looking lug of such be noted that the particular circuit .remamderof the line conductor 61 and contact and with but slight face of the door 101 to lock the door 101 when pushed against the action of the spring 121 to clossdposition. 'The pin 128 is seated in the recess 129 in the lower wall 124 of the casing 100 and projects exteriorly a suflicient distance to\ibe readily engaged by the elboW, knee or foot of a: person to be pushed npwardly and thereby raise the spring arm 123 to: disengage its Ing 125 from the lug 126 and allow the door 101 to be thrown open by the spring 121.

It Will be noted that the: spring catch or roundsman or of any civilian. In Fig. 4 I

have shown oneform of circuit connection signaling device 130, which may be suitably located on or adjacent the call box and ma Y be in the forin' of a light having a distinctrve color, a buzzer, siren or the like. Such signaling device mav be operatedi at central or headquarters by depressing the key or plunger of the\switch box thereby connecting a relay across the line condctors 49, 61, respectively corresponding to the l1ne conductors 49, 61 of the circuit diagram of Fig. 1, the line conductor 61 in the modification shown m Fig. 4 being disonnected at a location adjacent the transmitter 103 of the call box as .follows. The lead 131. is conparts are tight.

nected at one end of line conductor 61 and connects with one end ofthe coil 132 ofthe .relay 133, th o posite end of the coil 132 m the conductor 134 to tlfrg one terminal of the transmitter 103. The pivoted .armature 135 of the relay 133 is arranged with respect to the normally separated spring contacts =136, 137, to close the same upon energization of the Winding 132 of the relay 133. The spring contact 136 is bein connected y connected by the lead 138 to a terminal of the switch 139 for connection in any suitable electric lighting circuit or other outside circuit, or to a storage battery or'the like, the other terminal of the switch being connected by the lead naling device 130, its opposite terminal being connected by the conductor 141 to the other spring contact 137. Accordingly, upon closure of headquarters corresponding to the particu lar call box, the coil 1320i the relavfil33 is 30 energized, causing closure of contact tween 140 to one terminal of the sig-- the switch at central or the spring contacts 136, 137 and thus energizing the signaling device 130. v

In the said pending application Serial No:

396,795, the preferred form of the switch centralor headquarters and any call box, I

have arranged means automatically operated upon the placing of the central or head q'uarters receiver 11 on its hook 22 to actuate' a reset or restoring device for restoring to normal the depressed switch key and for restoring to neutral position the drop of the annuniator. Such arrangement is set forth in detail in the said application of Egbert A. Reynolds, Serial Number 396,795

and comprises the switch 73 whose contacts 71, 72 are momentarily closed to energize the reset magnet indicated diagrammatical ly at 74, one terminal of which is connected by the conductor 75 to the contact 72 and its opposite terminal connected by the conductor 76 to the negative pole 77 of the battery 26.

In the circuit arrangement shown in the diagram of Fig. 1, the switches controlling the talking circuits are located solely at the central or headquarters and thus solely within the control of the central headv quarters operator and fully out of the control oi operation at an call box. Such provision of means -is e ected by arrange ing the talking circuits as permanently closed from a contact member of the switch correspnding to the call box, over the line conductor, to and through the receiver of V -'-the. call box, back over the line conductor tothe other contact member of the switch; and similarly over the line conductors to and through the transmitter ofthe call box, and hack to the Switch of the central or headquarters switch box.

Iv ing It will be noted that the circuit of the reiay effects a permanent closed connection between the portions of the line conductor 61, that is to say, over the conductor 131,

coll 132-and conductor 134, which connec tion is entirely independent of the c1rcuit of the signal device 130 and of the signaling device 130 itself. Accordingly, in the event that the signaling device be out of order or tampered with or its circuit destroyed, the talking circuit between the call box or central and headquarters is notwithstanding maintained.

Whereas I have described my inventiox by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and -modifications 'may be made without departfrom the spirit of the invention, as de fined by the appended claims.

I clama.

1. A police call system compxismg a plu' circuit means for connecting the loud speaking receiver and the sensitive trans- 1i11tter of any individual call box with its said individual switch and said central transmitter and said cenitral receiver re spectivel independently of the remainder of said individual switches.

2, A police call system comprising a plurality of call boxes, each of said callboxes being provided with a loud speaking receiver and a sensitive transmitter, each call box having a door provided with perforations, said door being disposed between its sensitive transmitter and the exterior of the callbox, a central station comprising a transmitter and receiver therefor, and further comprising a set of individual switches respectively for said plurality of call boxes and separate circuit mean's for connecting the loud Speaking receiver and the sensitive transmitter of any individual call box with its said individual switch and said central transmitter and; said central receiver re spectively independently of the renainder of said individual switches.

. 3. A police call system comp-rising a plurality of call boxes, each of said call boxes being provided with a loud speaking receiver and a sensitive transmitter, each call] box having a door provided with perforations, said door beingdisposed between its the sensitivetransmitter of any individual call box with its said individual switch and said central transmitter and said central receiver respectively independently of the remainder of saidindividual switches, signaling means disposed at said central stat1on and means -for aotuating said signaling means upon the opening of a door of one of said local call boxes.

4. A police call system compr1s1ng a plurality of call boxes, each of said call boxes being provided with. a loud speaking receiver and a sensitive transmitter, each call box having a door provided with perforati0ns, said door being disposed between its sensitive transmitter and the exter or of the callbox, a central station compr1s1ng a transmitter and receiver therefor, and further compfisihg a 'set of individual switches respectively for said plurality of call boxes and separate circuit means for connecting A ing said door.

the loud speaking receiver and the sensitive transmitter of any individual -call box with its said individual switch and said central transmitter amd said central receiver respectively independentl of the remainder of said individual switc es, common signaling means disposed at said central station and means for actuating said signaling means upon the opening of any of saiddoors.

5. A police call box comprising a casing substantially closed on all sides excepting one, a door provided With perforations for closing said one side, a loud speaking receiver and a sensitive transmitter disposed within said casing and a partition closing said one side of the casing, said partition being provided with recesses to permit sounds emitted exteriorly of the casing to im inge on said transmitter and sounds repro need by said receiver to be transmitted exteriorly of said casing.

' 6. A police call box comprising a casing substantilly closed on all sides excepting on one side, a removable partition closin said one side, said partition being provide with perforations, a transmitter anda receiver disposed Within said partition, a door for said one side, said door being provided with perorations and means for open 7. A olice call box comprising a casirig substantially closed on all sides excepting on one side, a partition closing said one side,

a loud speaking receiver and a sensitive transmitterdisposed within said partition and said casing, said partition being provided with two sets of perforations respectively for said receiver and said transmitter, a door vided with perforations corresponding to the perforations in said partition for said receiver and means for openmg said door.

8. A olice call system comprising a plurality o local call boxes, each call box havmg a casing substantially closed on all sides for said one side, said. door being pro-' tuated upon ope'ning excepting on one side, a removable partition closi said one side, said partition being provi ed. with rforations, a transmitter and a receiver isposed within said partition, a door for said one side, said door. being provided'with perforations and means for Opening said door, a central switchboard, a transmitter and receiver therefor wir connections connecting respectivei sai transmitter and receiver and a signa device actuated upon opening the door of any one of said call boxes.

9. A olice call system comprising a lurality o local call boxes, each call box aving a casing substantially closed on all sides excepting on one side, a removable partition closin said one side, said partition being provi ed with gerforati0ns, a transmitter and a receiver isposed within said parti tion, a door for said one side, said door being provided with perforations and means for opening said door, a central switchboard, a transmitter and receiver therefor, wirin connections connecting respectively sai tra'nsmitter and receiver of each call box with said central transmitter and receiver and a signal device actuated upon clos1ng the door ofany one of said call boxes.

10. A police call system. comprising a plurality of local call boxes, each call box having a casing substantia lly closed on all sides excepting on one side, a loud speaking receiver and a 'sensitive transmitter disposed within said partition and said casing, sa1d partition being provided with two sets of perforations respectively for Said receiver and said transmitter, a door for said one side, said door beingpro'vided with perforations corresponding to the rforations in said partition for said recewer means for opening said door, and a signal device acthe door of any one of said call boxes.

In testimon specification t is 31st day of January, 1921.

DE ELBER T A. REYNOLDS.

whereof I have signed this oo 

